


In the Valley

by ArtemisRae



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: Community: 31_days, Gen, Pre-Heroes of Olympus, Spoilers for the Last Olympian
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-06-21
Updated: 2011-06-21
Packaged: 2017-12-31 23:45:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1037813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArtemisRae/pseuds/ArtemisRae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Thalia can't bring herself to ask the questions.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In the Valley

**Author's Note:**

> Written for 31_days, prompt: something of that fire burns still

After the war, things get _weird_ with Annabeth. It’s not as bad when they’re out in the Real World, sitting in a booth, laughing and gossiping and eating cheeseburgers until they both want to puke, but any time they cross paths up at Mt. Olympus, that’s when things get strange.  
  
At first Thalia just thinks that they’re intimidated, being surrounded by the gods – so much of their lives are spent trying to contact them for blessings or avoiding their wrath that it’s strange to have so much direct contact with them. Thalia is really only comfortable around Artemis, while Annabeth can’t even enjoy being Athena’s favorite child due to the pressure she puts on herself to succeed.  
  
While she’s still sure that the presence of the gods makes it worse, Thalia knows the truth. The truth is she and Annabeth can barely look at each other while visiting Mt. Olympus because they’re both avoiding the obvious questions. Thalia would never admit, but some part of her still aches that she missed the ending, that she lay trapped under the statue of a useless goddess while her best friends fought – and died.  
  
Right after the battle Annabeth had reassured her that it was _Luke_ who’d died, not the strange bitter shell that Luke had turned into. Thalia had taken the information gratefully, but had been too relieved, too overwhelmed with the ending of the war to ask the questions weighing her down, until much later when they kept her wide awake in her bedroll. Now when she’s with Annabeth, the questions aren’t invited and Thalia is scared of the answers anyway.  
  
And yet… _Was he scared? Was he relieved? Did he know it was you? Did he mention me?_  
  
The urge is always there, but instead Thalia smiles and punches her and suggests they go get milkshakes instead.


End file.
